Chemical heterogeneity of organic matter at nanoscale by AFM-based IR spectroscopy

This study aims to differentiate between bacteria-algae interactions and thermal maturation, at the same time, shed light on the hydrocarbon generation pathways based on chemical changes at the submicron scale. For this goal, samples were taken from the lower shale member of the Bakken Formation in Willison Basin at the early and peak thermal maturity stages and analyzed with surface probes. Sample selection was based on bulk geochemical...